Methods and apparatus for filling substrate features with cobalt

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for filling features with cobalt are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for processing a substrate includes: depositing a first cobalt layer via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process atop a substrate and within a feature disposed in the substrate; and at least partially filling the feature with cobalt or cobalt containing material by performing a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber having a cobalt target to reflow a portion of the first cobalt layer into the feature. The PVD chamber may be configured to simultaneously deposit cobalt or cobalt containing material within the feature from a cobalt target disposed in the PVD chamber.

FIELD

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field ofsemiconductor manufacturing processes, more particularly, to methods fordepositing cobalt containing layers in features of a semiconductorsubstrate.

BACKGROUND

Cobalt is one candidate for a new material solution for both contact andBEOL (back end of the line) interconnect fill applications in 10/7 nmnodes. Tungsten (W) contacts include a titanium (Ti)/titanium nitride(TiN) barrier which the inventors have observed is problematic as theTi/TiN barrier increases interface resistance and limits downwardscaling of features (e.g., interconnects). Additionally, the inventorshave observed copper (Cu) vias are problematic when a barrier/linerincreases interface resistance and negatively impacts via resistancescaling.

Further, the inventors have observed that conformal cobalt fill bychemical vapor deposition (CVD) often undesirably results in voidsembedded into the feature, and forms micro-voids. Even using anaggressive anneal process (e.g., higher temperatures and longer annealtimes), the micro-voids are difficult to remove and may undesirablyremain in the feature. Moreover, the BEOL process includes limitedanneal temperatures to protect the dielectric materials on thesubstrate.

Accordingly, the inventors have provided an improved method for fillingsubstrate features with cobalt.

SUMMARY

Methods and apparatus for filling features with cobalt are providedherein. In some embodiments, a method for processing a substrateincludes: depositing a first cobalt layer via a chemical vapordeposition (CVD) process atop a substrate and within a feature disposedin the substrate; and at least partially filling the feature with cobaltby performing a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD)chamber having a cobalt target to reflow a portion of the first cobaltlayer into the feature. In embodiments, performing a plasma process in aphysical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber to reflow a portion of the firstcobalt layer into the feature includes simultaneously depositing cobaltwithin the feature from a cobalt target disposed in the PVD chamber.

Optionally, embodiments may include depositing an underlayer within thefeature prior to depositing the first cobalt layer, and depositing thefirst cobalt layer directly atop the underlayer.

In some embodiments, a method for processing a substrate includes:depositing an underlayer within a feature disposed in a substrate;depositing a first cobalt layer via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)process atop the substrate and directly atop the underlayer; partiallyfilling the feature with cobalt by performing a plasma process in aphysical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber to reflow a portion of the firstcobalt layer into the feature; and subsequently depositing a secondcobalt layer via a CVD process to completely fill the feature. Inembodiments, performing a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition(PVD) chamber to reflow a portion of the first cobalt layer into thefeature includes simultaneously depositing cobalt within the featurefrom a cobalt target disposed in the PVD chamber.

In some embodiments, an apparatus for film deposition on a substrateincludes: a central vacuum transfer chamber; a chemical vapor deposition(CVD) process chamber configured to deposit titanium nitride and coupledto the central vacuum transfer chamber; a chemical vapor deposition(CVD) process chamber configured to deposit cobalt and coupled to thecentral vacuum transfer chamber; and a physical vapor deposition (PVD)chamber configured to deposit cobalt and coupled to the central vacuumtransfer chamber. In embodiments, the PVD chamber is configured toperform a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber toreflow a portion of a first cobalt layer into the feature whilesimultaneously depositing cobalt within the feature from a cobalt targetdisposed in the PVD chamber.

Other and further embodiments of the present disclosure are describedbelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present disclosure, briefly summarized above anddiscussed in greater detail below, can be understood by reference to theillustrative embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the appendeddrawings. However, the appended drawings illustrate only typicalembodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be consideredlimiting of scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equallyeffective embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts a flow diagram of a method for depositing cobalt metal ina feature of a semiconductor device in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2F respectively depict stages of fabrication of depositingmetal in features of a semiconductor device in accordance withembodiments of FIG. 1 of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a cluster tool suitable to perform methods for processinga substrate in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and may be simplifiedfor clarity. Elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficiallyincorporated in other embodiments without further recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for processing asubstrate that provide improved feature fill when processing a substrateincluding one or more metal filled features.

The inventors have observed that cobalt deposited within a featureadvantageously shows larger grain, lower resistivity, and betterroughness via a metal fill process in accordance with the presentdisclosure. Moreover, cobalt (Co) fill in accordance with the presentdisclosure yields about 5 to about 8 times lower metal line resistancethan tungsten for contact applications, and >45% via resistancereduction as compared to copper fill for interconnect application at the7 nm node. CVD processes are combined with PVD processes in accordancewith the present disclosure to produce a high quality metal filledfeature. In embodiments, cobalt is deposited in at least one feature ona substrate using a CVD process and then moved to a PVD chamber where aprocess is performed to increase the cobalt's density and purity, whiledecreasing the cobalt's resistivity. In embodiments, the PVD process isa PVD process performed in a heated environment, as described in moredetail below. The processes can be performed with or without a vacuumbreak between processes.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method 100 for processing a substrate inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The method100 is described below with respect to the stages of processing asubstrate as depicted in FIGS. 2A-2F and may be performed, for example,in a suitable cluster tool and process chambers, such as described belowwith respect to FIG. 3. Exemplary processing systems that may be used toperform the methods disclosed herein may include, but are not limitedto, any of the ENDURA®, CENTURA®, or PRODUCER® brand processing systems,commercially available from Applied Materials, Inc., of Santa Clara,Calif. Other process chambers, including ones available from othermanufacturers, may also be suitably used in connection with theteachings provided herein.

The method 100 is typically performed on a substrate 200 provided to aprocessing volume of a process chamber, for example substrate processingchamber 314 and substrate processing chamber 338 described below withrespect to FIG. 3. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2A, thesubstrate 200 includes one or more features 202 (one shown in FIGS.2A-F) to be filled, formed in a layer 212 of the substrate 200, andextending towards a base 204 of the substrate 200. Although thefollowing description is made with respect to one feature 202, thesubstrate 200 may include any number of features 202 (such as vias,trenches, or the like) as described below.

The substrate 200 may be any suitable substrate having the feature 202formed in the substrate 200 or layer 212. For example, the substrate 200may include one or more of silicon (Si), silicon oxide (SiO₂), or thelike. In embodiments, the substrate 200 may include feature 202 formedin a dielectric layer. For example, a low-k material (e.g., a materialhaving a dielectric constant less than silicon oxide, or less than about3.9), or the like. In some embodiments, layer 212 may be disposed atop asecond dielectric layer (not shown), such as silicon oxide, siliconnitride, silicon carbide, or the like.

In addition, the substrate 200 may include additional layers ofmaterials or may have one or more completed or partially completedstructures or devices formed in or on the substrate 200. In someembodiments, a layer 216, such as a logic device or the like, or aportion of a device requiring electrical connectivity, such as a gate, acontact pad, a cobalt pad, a conductive line or via, or the like, may bedisposed in the base 204 of the substrate 200 and aligned with thefeature 202. For example, the feature 202 may be filled with aconductive material to form a conductive pathway to the layer 216. Asused herein, the layer 216 need not be a continuous structure extendingacross an entire surface of the substrate, but can be a smallercomponent, such as a device, partial device, conductive pathway, or thelike.

In embodiments, the substrate 200 may be, for example, a doped orundoped silicon substrate, a III-V compound substrate, a silicongermanium (SiGe) substrate, an epi-substrate, a silicon-on-insulator(SOI) substrate, a display substrate such as a liquid crystal display(LCD), a plasma display, an electro luminescence (EL) lamp display, alight emitting diode (LED) substrate, a solar cell array, solar panel,or the like. In some embodiments, the substrate 200 may be asemiconductor wafer.

The substrate 200 is not limited to any particular size or shape. Thesubstrate can be a round wafer having a 200 mm diameter, a 300 mmdiameter or other diameters, such as 450 mm, among others. The substratecan also be any polygonal, square, rectangular, curved or otherwisenon-circular workpiece, such as a polygonal glass substrate used in thefabrication of flat panel displays.

The feature 202 may be formed by etching the substrate 200 using anysuitable etch process. In some embodiments, the feature 202 is definedby one or more sidewalls 214, a bottom surface 206 and upper corners220. In some embodiments, the feature 202 may be a via, trench, dualdamascene, or the like. In some embodiments, the feature 202 may have ahigh aspect ratio, e.g., an aspect ratio between about of about 5:1 andabout 15:1. As used herein, the aspect ratio is the ratio of a depth ofthe feature to a width of the feature. In embodiments, the feature 202has a width less than or equal to 15 nm.

Referring to FIG. 1 (106 shown in phantom), and FIGS. 2A-2F, anunderlayer 207 (shown in phantom) may optionally be deposited onsubstrate 200 and within feature 202 in a process chamber configured todeposit a layer (e.g., substrate processing chambers 312, 314 discussedbelow). The underlayer 207 can be a layer conformably formed along atleast a portion of the sidewalls and/or lower surface of a feature suchthat a substantial portion of the feature prior to the deposition of thelayer remains unfilled after deposition of the layer. In someembodiments, the underlayer 207 may be formed along the entirety of thesidewalls 214 and bottom surface 206 of the feature 202. The underlayer207 may be a wetting layer provided to enhance the adherence of a metallayer disposed upon the underlayer 207.

In some embodiments, the underlayer 207 has a thickness of about 2angstroms to about 100 angstroms, or about 2 angstroms to about 20angstroms. In some embodiments, the underlayer 207 is a metal containinglayer. For example, in some embodiments, the underlayer 207 may contain,or may predominantly contain, tungsten (W), aluminum (Al), titanium(Ti), tantalum (Ta), oxides or nitrides thereof, silicides thereof,derivatives thereof, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, theunderlayer 207 is a metal or a metal nitride material, such as titanium(Ti), titanium nitride (TiN), alloys thereof, or combinations thereof.In embodiments, underlayer 207 comprises or consists of titanium nitride(TiN). In some embodiments, the underlayer 207 may be deposited by achemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber or an atomic layer deposition(ALD) chamber, such as any of substrate processing chambers 312, 314,described below with respect to FIG. 3. For example, in someembodiments, the underlayer 207 has a thickness of about 2 angstroms toabout 100 angstroms, or about 2 angstroms to about 5 angstroms, and isdeposited by ALD or CVD. In some embodiments, the underlayer 207 istitanium nitride (TiN) having a thickness of about 2 angstroms to about100 angstroms, or about 2 angstroms to about 5 angstroms, deposited byCVD or ALD.

Next, at 102, a first cobalt layer 208 is deposited atop the underlayer207 on the substrate 200 and in the feature 202 in a first processchamber. Alternatively, in embodiments where the optional underlayer 207is not deposited, the method may begin at 102 by depositing the firstcobalt layer 208 on the substrate 200 and in the feature 202 in thefirst process chamber. The first cobalt layer 208 may comprise orconsist of pure cobalt. In embodiments, first cobalt layer 208 includescobalt or a cobalt alloy. For example, useful cobalt alloys includecobalt-tungsten alloys, cobalt-phosphorus alloys, cobalt-tin alloys,cobalt-boron alloys, and ternary alloys, such ascobalt-tungsten-phosphorus and cobalt-tungsten-boron. The first cobaltlayer 208 may also include, however, other metals, metal alloys, anddopants, such as nickel, tin, titanium, tantalum, tungsten, molybdenum,platinum, iron, niobium, palladium, nickel cobalt alloys, doped cobalt,and combinations thereof. In embodiments, the cobalt andcobalt-containing material of the first cobalt layer 208 issubstantially pure cobalt, or cobalt with no more than 5% impurities. Inembodiments, the first cobalt layer is a cobalt material having no morethan 5% of other metal therein.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2B, the first cobalt layer 208 isdeposited atop a first surface 222 of the substrate 200 and within thefeature 202 formed in the first surface 222. The first cobalt layer 208may be deposited using any suitable CVD deposition process(es).Non-limiting examples of CVD processes suitable for deposition of thefirst cobalt layer 208 are disclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No.8,110,489, issued Feb. 7, 2012 to Ganguli, et al. In some embodiments,the first cobalt layer 208 is a conductive cobalt material used to fillthe feature 202, for example, to form a conductive pathway. In someembodiments, the first cobalt layer 208 is deposited via a CVD processusing suitable cobalt precursors for forming cobalt-containing materialssuch as those described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,110,489,issued Feb. 7, 2012 to Ganguli, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 9,051,641, issuedJun. 19, 2015 to Lu, et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 9,685,371, issued Jun.20, 2017 to Zope, et al.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the first cobalt layer 208 ispredetermined such as about 20 angstroms to about 150 angstroms, orabout 50 angstroms to about 150 angstroms. In embodiments, the shape ofthe first cobalt layer 208 is substantially uniform and conformal asgenerally shown in FIGS. 2A-2E, however variation may occur andnon-conformal gap shapes may form in feature 202. In some embodiments,the first cobalt layer 208 may optionally be formed directly atop theentirety of the sidewalls 214 and bottom surface 206 of the feature 202.In embodiments, the first cobalt layer 208 may be formed directly atopunderlayer 207 disposed atop sidewalls 214 and bottom surface 206 of thefeature 202.

At 104 and FIG. 2C, feature 202 is at least partially filled with cobaltby performing a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD)chamber to reflow a portion of the first cobalt layer 208 into thefeature 202. For example, the PVD process reflows a portion of innerlayer 210 a and 210 b (depicted in FIG. 2B) to form at least a partiallyfilled feature 202 in area 215. For example, feature 202 may be about20% to 95% filled, about 30% to about 85% filled, about 40-60% filled,or at least about 25%, at least about 50% or at least about 75% filledby performing a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD)which deposits from bottom surface 206 of feature 202 towards the uppercorners 220. Non-limiting examples of a partially filled featuresinclude one or more feature(s) that are at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%,80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% filled from bottom to top, but not100% filled, using a PVD treatment in accordance with the presentdisclosure. In some embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 2D, feature 202may be fully filled with cobalt from the bottom surface 206 of feature202 to the upper corners 220 and/or above the upper corners 220 using aPVD treatment in accordance with the present disclosure.

In some embodiments, the process is performed in a second processchamber 332, or 338 (FIG. 3), which can be any PVD chamber configured todeposit cobalt and cobalt-containing material in the manner as disclosedherein. One exemplary PVD processing system suitable for modification inaccordance with the teachings herein and for performing the aboveprocess is the ENDURA® Cirrus™ HTX PVD system, commercially availablefrom Applied Materials, Inc., of Santa Clara, Calif. In embodiments,suitable PVD chambers include those described in U.S. Pat. No.8,795,487, issued Aug. 5, 2014 to Ritchie, et al., and U.S. PatentPublication Number 2002/0144889, published Oct. 10, 2002 to Rong Tao, etal.

To perform the deposition process to reflow the first cobalt layer 208,RF and DC power is provided to a cobalt or cobalt containing targetdisposed within a PVD process chamber. About 0.25 to about 6 kilowattsof RF energy may be provided to the target at a frequency of from about13 to about 60 MHz, or 27 to about 40 MHz, or about 40 MHz. Inembodiments, about 0.5 to 5.0 kilowatts of DC power is provided to thecobalt or cobalt containing target.

In addition, the PVD process chamber is maintained at a pressure ofabout 4 mTorr to about 150 mTorr, or about 10 mTorr to about 150 mTorr.About 0.1 W to 310 W, for example at least about 300 W, of RF bias powermay be provided to the substrate support at a frequency of about 5 toabout 30 MHz, or about 10 to about 15 MHz, or about 13.56 MHz.

The PVD process includes suitable gases to facilitate the reflowprocess. A gas source may provide a suitable gas species such as aninert gas, such as argon, krypton, neon, or the like, hydrogen (H₂), orcombinations thereof. In some embodiments, the plasma process includes aplasma formed from hydrogen or an inert gas. In some embodiments, onlyH₂ gas is provided.

Still referring to a process to reflow the first cobalt layer 208, theplasma processing chamber may include a high temperature heater,suitable for heating the substrate to a temperature of about 350° C. toabout 500° C. or about 350° C. to about 450° C.

In some embodiments, target atoms strike the substrate. A depositionrate in an amount of 0.1-10 angstroms/sec. is suitable for use inaccordance with the present disclosure. Accordingly, the physical vapordeposition chamber may be configured to apply a cobalt deposition ratein an amount of 0.1-10 angstroms/sec.

In embodiments, the high density PVD cobalt application reducesimpurity, and promotes cobalt grain growth while enabling void-freecobalt gap-fill from the bottom of feature 202 up. As explained abovewith respect to FIG. 2D, the PVD treatment may be performed such thatthe feature is completely or substantially completely filled from thebottom to top. Alternatively, referring to 108 and FIG. 2E, the PVDtreatment discussed above may be performed to only partially fill thefeature and additional cobalt metal material 209 may be deposited on thesubstrate 200 and within the feature 202 in a CVD process chamber suchas CVD process chambers 334 or 336 (FIG. 3) to completely fill thefeature. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2E, cobalt metal material209 is deposited atop and/or within the feature 202. The cobalt metalmaterial 209 may be deposited using any suitable CVD depositionprocess(es), such as those discussed above with respect to 102. Suitablecobalt materials includes cobalt material described above with respectto first cobalt layer 208. In some embodiments, cobalt metal material209 is a conductive cobalt material used to fill the feature 202, forexample, to form a conductive pathway.

In some embodiments, CVD application at 108, completely fills thefeature from the bottom to top. In embodiments, CVD application at 108,overfills the one or more features as shown in FIG. 2E. In someembodiments, as shown in FIG. 2E, void(s) 211 and micro-voids 213 may beformed within cobalt metal material 209 as a result of the CVDdeposition performed at 208. As such, at 110, the substrate and featuremay be annealed to promote uniformity therein, removing void(s) 211 andmicro-voids 213. Optional annealing processes include applying atemperature to the feature in an amount between about 50° C. and about1400° C. (e.g., between about 50° C. and 500° C.; between about 100° C.and about 300° C.; between about 300° C. and 500° C. During the thermalannealing process, a gas mixture including at least a hydrogencontaining gas and/or an inert gas (e.g., argon) is supplied into thechamber. The gas mixture may be supplied to the annealing chamber usingeither a static process where the chamber is filled with gas prior tothe anneal process or a continuous flow process where the gas mixture iscontinuously flowed through the chamber during the anneal process.

In embodiments, the thermal annealing process 110 may be performedin-situ in the same processing chamber as the metal deposition process.The metal layer deposition and anneal may be performed in the samechamber if the CVD chamber such as chamber 336 (FIG. 3) has thecapability to heat the substrate to temperatures for the anneal processas well as to provide the process gases as needed. Alternatively, thethermal annealing process may be performed in a separate processingchamber.

Referring to FIG. 2F, the feature 202 is shown filled with cobaltsubstantially free of voids and micro-voids. In embodiments, the feature202 is devoid of voids and micro-voids. The substrate 200 can be furtherprocessed, for example, using chemical mechanical planarization (CMP)techniques known in the art to planarize the surface of a wafer 401(e.g., to remove the excess cobalt overburden disposed atop thesubstrate and above the feature).

In some exemplary embodiments, a method for processing a substrate tofill a feature with cobalt includes depositing a first cobalt layer to athickness of about 20 angstroms to about 150 angstroms via a chemicalvapor deposition (CVD) process atop a substrate and within a featuredisposed in the substrate. The feature is then at least partially filledwith cobalt by performing a plasma process in a physical vapordeposition (PVD) chamber to reflow a portion of the first cobalt layerinto the feature. The plasma process may further add a thickness ofabout 20 angstroms to about 150 angstroms, or about 60 angstroms to thefeature. Additional cobalt can be deposited to a thickness of about 20angstroms to about 150 angstroms via a second chemical vapor deposition(CVD) process into the feature, wherein the second CVD processcompletely fills the feature. The filled feature can then be annealed.

The methods described herein may be performed in individual processchambers that may be provided in a standalone configuration or as partof one or more cluster tools, for example, an integrated tool 300 (i.e.,cluster tool) described below with respect to FIG. 3. In someembodiments, the method 100 of processing a substrate described abovemay be performed in individual process chambers provided as a standalonechamber or as part of a cluster tool. In embodiments, a cluster tool isconfigured for performing the methods for processing a substrate asdescribed herein including: depositing a first cobalt layer via achemical vapor deposition (CVD) process; at least partially filling thefeature with cobalt by performing a plasma process in a physical vapordeposition (PVD) chamber; optionally depositing additional cobalt via asecond chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process; and optionally annealingthe filled feature. In some embodiments, the cluster tool can beconfigured for depositing only, and the anneal may be carried out in aseparate chamber. In some embodiments, the anneal may be carried out ineither of the PVD or the CVD process chamber.

Examples of the integrated tool 300 include the CENTURA® and ENDURA®integrated tools, available from Applied Materials, Inc., of SantaClara, Calif. However, the methods described herein may be practicedusing other cluster tools having suitable process chambers coupledthereto, or in other suitable process chambers. For example, in someembodiments the inventive methods discussed above may advantageously beperformed in an integrated tool such that there are limited or no vacuumbreaks while processing.

The integrated tool 300 can include two load lock chambers 306A, 306Bfor transferring of substrates into and out of the integrated tool 300.Typically, since the integrated tool 300 is under vacuum, the load lockchambers 306A, 306B may “pump down” the substrates introduced into theintegrated tool 300. A first robot 310 may transfer the substratesbetween the load lock chambers 306A, 306B, and a first set of one ormore substrate processing chambers 312, 314, 316, 318 (four are shown)coupled to a first central transfer chamber 350. Each substrateprocessing chamber 312, 314, 316, 318, can be outfitted to perform anumber of substrate processing operations. In some embodiments, thefirst set of one or more substrate processing chambers 312, 314, 316,318 may include any combination of PVD, ALD, CVD, etch, or degaschambers. For example, in some embodiments, the processing chambers 312,and 314 include a CVD and/or ALD process chamber configured to deposittitanium nitride such as underlayer 207.

The first robot 310 can also transfer substrates to/from twointermediate transfer chambers 322, 324. The intermediate transferchambers 322, 324 can be used to maintain ultrahigh vacuum conditionswhile allowing substrates to be transferred within the integrated tool300. A second robot 330 can transfer the substrates between theintermediate transfer chambers 322, 324 and a second set of one or moresubstrate processing chambers 332, 334, 335, 336, 338 coupled to asecond central transfer chamber 355. The substrate processing chambers332, 334, 335, 336, 338 can be outfitted to perform a variety ofsubstrate processing operations including the method 100 described abovein addition to, physical vapor deposition processes (PVD), chemicalvapor deposition (CVD), etching, orientation and other substrateprocesses. In some embodiments, the second set of one or more substrateprocessing chambers 332, 334, 335, 336, 338 may include any combinationof PVD, ALD, CVD, etch, or degas chambers. For example, in someembodiments, the substrate processing chambers 332, 334, 335, 336, 338include three CVD chambers 334, 335, and 336, and two PVD chambers 332,and 338. Any of the substrate processing chambers 312, 314, 316, 318,332, 334, 335, 336, 338 may be removed from the integrated tool 300 ifnot necessary for a particular process to be performed by the integratedtool 300.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include, an apparatus for filmdeposition on a substrate, comprising: a central vacuum transfer chambersuch as chamber 350 or 355; a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/orAtomic Layer Deposition (ALD) process chamber such as chambers 312and/or 314 configured to deposit titanium nitride and coupled to thecentral vacuum transfer chamber; a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)process chamber such as chambers 334, and/or 335 configured to depositcobalt and cobalt containing materials as described herein coupled tothe central vacuum transfer chamber; and a physical vapor deposition(PVD) chamber such as chambers 332 and 338 configured to reflow and/ordeposit cobalt and cobalt containing materials as described herein andcoupled to the central vacuum transfer chamber 350 and/or 355.

The disclosure may be practiced using other semiconductor substrateprocessing systems wherein the processing parameters may be adjusted toachieve acceptable characteristics by those skilled in the art byutilizing the teachings disclosed herein without departing from thespirit of the disclosure. While the foregoing is directed to embodimentsof the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of thedisclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scopethereof.

1. A method for processing a substrate, comprising: depositing a firstcobalt layer via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process atop asubstrate and within a feature disposed in the substrate; and at leastpartially filling the feature with cobalt by performing a plasma processin a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber having a cobalt target toreflow a portion of the first cobalt layer into the feature.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the plasma process includes depositing cobaltwithin the feature from a cobalt target disposed in the PVD chamber. 3.The method of claim 1, further comprising: depositing an underlayerwithin the feature prior to depositing the first cobalt layer, anddepositing the first cobalt layer directly atop the underlayer.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, wherein the underlayer comprises titanium nitride. 5.The method of claim 4, wherein the titanium nitride has a thickness ofabout 2 angstroms to about 20 angstroms.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the plasma process is performed at a temperature of about 350°C. to about 500° C.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plasma processcomprises a plasma formed from hydrogen or an inert gas.
 8. The methodof claim 1, wherein the plasma process comprises a plasma formed fromone or more of argon, krypton, or neon.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the feature is completely filled during the plasma process. 10.The method of claim 9, further comprising: annealing by applying atemperature in an amount between about 50° C. and about 1400° C. to thefeature.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the feature is onlypartially filled during the plasma process, and further comprising:subsequently depositing a second cobalt layer via a CVD process tocompletely fill the feature.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising: annealing by applying a temperature in an amount betweenabout 50° C. and about 1400° C. to the feature.
 13. The method of claim1, wherein the feature has a width less than or equal to 15 nm.
 14. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first cobalt layer is deposited to athickness of about 20 angstroms to about 150 angstroms.
 15. A method forprocessing a substrate, comprising: depositing an underlayer within afeature disposed in a substrate; depositing a first cobalt layer via achemical vapor deposition (CVD) process atop the substrate and directlyatop the underlayer; partially filling the feature with cobalt byperforming a plasma process in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamberto reflow a portion of the first cobalt layer into the feature whilesimultaneously depositing cobalt within the feature from a cobalt targetdisposed in the PVD chamber; and subsequently depositing a second cobaltlayer via a CVD process to completely fill the feature.
 16. The methodof claim 15, further comprising: annealing by applying a temperature inan amount between about 50° C. and about 1400° C. to the feature.
 17. Anapparatus for film deposition on a substrate, comprising: a centralvacuum transfer chamber; a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and/or atomiclayer deposition (ALD) process chamber configured to deposit titaniumnitride and coupled to the central vacuum transfer chamber; a chemicalvapor deposition (CVD) process chamber configured to deposit cobalt andcoupled to the central vacuum transfer chamber; and a physical vapordeposition (PVD) chamber configured to deposit cobalt and coupled to thecentral vacuum transfer chamber.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, whereinthe physical vapor deposition chamber is configured to heat cobalt to atemperature of about 350° C. to about 500° C.
 19. The apparatus of claim17, wherein the physical vapor deposition chamber is configured to applya cobalt deposition rate in an amount of 0.1-10 angstroms/sec.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the plasma process is performed at atemperature of about 350° C. to about 500° C.